2017 - Issue 08 islandandsurrounds.com.au
31
Youth Page
Youth Voice Voice of the Youth – Demand on Technology in School By Phoebe Diamond-Griffin, Natalie Moore and Madeline Scully In the educational climate of today, nothing is perceived as more progressive than finding ways to digitise everything we are doing. In the mad rush to bring computers into the classroom, schools may be losing sight of the real goal: to educate their students. The challenge to attain every student’s attention, has become every teacher’s hardest struggle. The second is to create fun and exciting learning experiences in order to make the students passionate about the topic being taught. Teachers battle students chatting with their peers, performing a circus act for their class, or worst of all, students on their phones or laptops. The inclusion of technology in classrooms, has opened a whole new window for students to find ways to avoid learning. It is quite easy, if not addictive, for a student to be playing games on their phone, while teachers attend to other students or while their eyes on the other twenty-seven students in the class. Not only does this affect the student and their attention span, but it creates trust issues between the students and teachers. Unfortunately, it is just another argument
Bribie Island State High School Well, 2017 certainly started with a ‘on the right foot’ as the ISLAND and Surrounds High School, Bribie Island State High School, held their first Senior
teachers are forced to waste valuable teaching time on and it can only be seen as a detriment to our education.. Relying on technology has become our youth’s kryptonite. Not only are their eyes glued to screens, their lives are intertwined and infused with technology, particularly social media, such as: Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube and the list goes on and seems to be ever-growing. Student’s reliance on technology is a double edged sword. They need digital literacy to thrive and achieve in their chosen field and to NOT include technology would leave them leagues behind other schools that immerse their students in to world of technology, however, with it, students are just finding more and more ways to disconnect from the classroom. The education system, in an effort to enhance student outcomes, is pushing for our schools, and the curriculum, to be based entirely around technology, may have lost sight of other considerations, like the temptation for a student to segue into a game when they are supposed to be writing a TEEAL paragraph. With screens often facing away from the teacher, it is almost impossible for them to monitor twentyeight student’s screens, making it easy for students to become distracted from their learning. Technology already has a lot to answer for. We hope it doesn’t leave us looking for an answer to poor student results.
The 2017 leaders are a very talentedgroup of students, who individually and collectively are motivated to make a difference both within their school environment and their local community. They have begun the year with a focus on supporting their fellow students.
ri ie sland tate chool urriculu ids Bribie Island SS Students are Right into Reading! Reading success is a priority at Bribie Island State School. In 2017 all classes will engage in multiple Guided Reading sessions each week. Teachers have worked together to agree upon a common procedure for the teaching of reading that is used across the school. This allows small group instruction in varied aspects of literacy development including; comprehension, reading fluency, phonics and grammar. Promoting the love of reading extends to our wider school community who support our reading focus in many ways. These include; parents engaging in home reading experiences, volunteers supporting reading development in classrooms, parents engaging in training sessions and the P&C purchasing books for the school library, classrooms and home use.
n ducation or Goetschi & Celine Gruenenfelder from Switzerland, Isabella Botelho from Brazil and Hidemi Sampei from Japan. We trust that you all enjoy not only your education and this beautiful Island but also this unique and diverse country of ours. Overall 2016 was extremely successful for our Year 12 students who achieved outstanding results within the University selection process. We would like to congratulate Tayla Adams & Madison Clarke for their OP score of 2, Anjali Herring & Kirra Sodhi with an OP score of 4 and Lachlan Morgan, A-Arna Daraz and Gemma Brogan who scored an OP of 5. This score opens up a world of university opportunities for our next generation and we wish them the best of luck their chosen careers paths.
Year 12 students who achieved outstanding results
School Captains Kristen Axford, Paris Williams, Jye Adams and Dakoda Titmus
School assembly on Monday 30 January where they inducted new student leaders,
Bribie Island State High School embraces cultural diversity and 2017 welcomes 11 International Students who have been selected to experience Australian education on this beautiful Island of ours. So, on behalf of the ISLAND and Surrounds we would like to welcome
International Students
introduced their International Students and congratulated their top performing Year 12 Students from 2016.
Aurelia Louhio from Finland, Caroline Backhaus, Lara Schell, Sina Giesen & Vincent Maier from Germany, Verena Schmitter, Simone Schallenberg, Jessica
TALK ABOUT BOOKS
A Journey begins with one step – Reading begins with one word! Welcome back to another exciting school year 2017. For those of you who do not know me, my name is Kathryn Hopson. I am currently working as a School librarian for a Private Christian College Prep to Year 12-Day school alongside the Prep to Year 12 Distance Education School. I have worked for over 28 years in various libraries and have a Master Degree in Information
Technology – Library Major, and simply love what I do. I would particularly like to take this time to encourage our mums and dad sending their Preps to school for the first time – well done on getting your child ready! As a librarian I always get asked “How do I start reading with my child?” So here are my tips to make your child a super reader! Just take 2 Minutes! 2 minutes every morning over breakfast, pick up a copy of the ‘Island and surrounds’ or a catalogue or paper and read a story with your child. 2 minutes on the way to school in the car, read street signs, If they catch a bus, while waiting read the bus stop signs. 2 minutes -Write simple secret one word notes and slip into lunch boxes, Love, hugs, kisses that your little one can find. 2 minutes - Picking you little one uprepeat sign reading Back home and either wait till bedtime and as part of your routine spend 2 minutes reading a few pages of your favourite story. (You can always extend this time if you are having fun!) Until next time Happy Reading! – Join in with World read aloud Day!